Guard for window or door openings



Feb. 13, 1945. w. B. Roon GUARD FOR WINDOW OR DOOR OPENINGS 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1 Z @wgd l mf. 0. www

Feb. 13, 1945,. w. B. Roon GUARD FOR WINDOW OR DOOR OPENINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1944 H, 7 o ....HR E L nur... f l E 1h M w. M L 0 Patented Feb. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE Application Mai-eh 1, m44, serial No. 524,529

(ci. 16o- 201) 16 Claims.

vwindow or door openings or with any opening through which it is desirable. to prevent unauthorized passage.

One object of the invention is to provide a guard bar structure that may be operated to a collapsed position in a manner similar to a Venetian blind, yet which when extended effectively guards the window or door opening against easy access to the interior of the house.

A further object is to provide a guard structure which may be quickly moved to effective or noneiective position, and which in noneffective position is comparatively inconspicuous. A

Still a further object is to provide guard bars that may be located in substantially equally spaced position across an opening, and whichare not easy to break or to be out through with a hack saw, the bars being rotatably mounted so as to minimize theI possibility of using a hack saw on them.

stm another object is toproviae a slotted 1mi:`

arrangement for suspending the guard bars so that they will hang substantially equally spaced when in locked position, and to provide a lock baffle means which, when the bars are elevated as by a pair of ropes similar to a Venetian blind, sets the lock for relooking the bars in lowered position without needing a key for this purpose.

An additional object is to provide a system of guard bars that effectively serve their capacity as such, yet which do not present an unsightly appearance when the guard is collapsed to its ineffective position, the entire structure being relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and presenting a relatively simple installation probto a portion of Figure 2 showing adjustmentsior varying window frame widths.

Figure 3 is a further enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, this figure being substantially full size and showing a locking mechanism for a guard structure.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Figure 3, showing further details of the lock.

Figure 5 is a sectiona1 view on the lne`5--5 of Figure 2, and showing the bars in their eilectlve position. 1

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 5-6 of Figure 5, showing the link arrangement for supporting the bars; and,

Figure 7 is an enlarged view similar to a portion of Figure 5, showing the guard structure partially raised. V

The use of guard bars in connectionwith win-- dow and door openings is well known, and stationary bars are appropriate for some buildings. They are objectionable, however, when used in connection with dwelling houses, presenting during the daytime an unsightly appearance. It is impracticalto make the bars detachable as this would involve considerable time each morning and evening for removing and replacing the bars, and

Another additional object is to provide guides v for the ends of guard bars which may be adjusted merely by a flange bending operation to accommodate window frames that are slightly wider or narrower than standard width.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in .the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein: o

Figure 1 is an inside elevation of a double hung window with my guard structure applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. y Figures 2a and 2b are sectional views similar in the average dwelling the number 'of openings is great enough to make such removal and replacement a chore of considerable magnitude. Accordingly, I have designed a guard structure wherein the guard bars may be quickly distributed across the window or. door opening to -guard against night prowlers and entrance of other unauthorized persons, the bars being capable of quick collapsing movement to a relatively unsightly Iposition when desired.

Constructionally, my guard bar arrangement includes in general, a pair of guides G at the sides of the window opening, guard bars B guided thereby, and links L for supporting the bars in a distributed position as will hereinafter appear. Each guide G is channel shaped comprising a web I0, a front side I2 and a back side I3. The iront side I2 is inward with respect to the window frame which is showngenerally at W. The sides I2 and I3 of the guide G terminate in a pair of flanges 'Each headed element 20 forms with the end of .the guard bar |8 a groove 2| adapted to receive the marginal edges of the flanges I4 whereby the slot formed between the ilanges is received in this groove for properly guiding the guard bars. Each headed element is further provided with a pair of grooves 22, with the exception of the lowermost guard bar having but a single groove 28. The grooves 22 and 23 are progressively oiset as best shown in Figure 7, for the purpose of guiding the links L as will hereinafter appear.

Each link L is elongated and is provided with a slot 24 as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the slot of the uppermost link passing around a spacer sleeve 25 secured to the guide G by a screw 2l. The screw 26 extends through the web I8 and the bracket I1, thereby ilxedly supporting the upper end of the upper link. The upper link and the next link have their slots 24 received in the grooves 22 ont the uppermost guard bar B, and the second and third link has its slots in the grooves 22 of the secondguard bar, and so-on, as clearly shown in Figure 7. Accordingly, each guard bar serves as a guide for two links and the overlapping guiding arrangement for the links insures that they will remain in their proper rela.- tion within the guides G without the necessity of providing guide grooves in the guides for the links. This arrangement also permits some misalignment of the parts, and some bending of the guides to fit the surfaces against which they are secured without any resultant binding of the links so that they can operate freely as the guard -bars are raised or lowered.

The groove 23 of the lowermost headed element headed element 28 receives the slot of the lowermost link L and a locking link 21. The locking link 21 has a bolt receiving opening 28 which may receive a. locking bolt 28 as in Figure 3 when a cam 38 is in the solid line position 40 illustrated, and thereby permitting a leaf spring 3| to propel the bolt to locking position.

The bolt 28 is slidable within a sleeve 32 carried in a lock housing 83 inserted into the guide G adjacent its lowel` end and retained in such position by a screw 3|. The cam 38 is carried by a tumbler in a tumbler housing 3l which is mounted in the guide G. The tumbler has a shaft 36 to which the cam 38 is secured and-may be unlocked and then rotatedby a key 31 inserted into the tumbler in a well known manner.

I have been describing only one guide and its lock, whereas the other guide is similarly provided with a lock, and the links L as well as the locking link 21 are duplicated in the other guide. The keys 81 may be inserted and the cams 3o rotated to the dotted position. whereby the bolts 28 are retracted, and the guard bars may then be lowered following which the lowermost bar is manually pushed downwardly to the position of Figure 3 against the bias of a spring 38. The spring 38 engages a block 38 with the link 21 and is weak enough so that two of the springs 38, one in each guide G, will permit the weight of the lowermost guard bar to lower the blocks 38 from the dotted position of Figure 3 to the full line position and the bolts 28 to then automatically enter the openings 28 without the necessity of using the keys to lock the guard bars in lowered position. The blocks 38 therefore serve as lock baflles in their dotted positions to prevent the springs 3| from extending the bolts 28 when the bars are raised and permit automatic locking of the bars in lowered position to simplify the key operations to insertion and unlocking only, as when raising the bars in the morning.

For controlling the guardbars as to their elevation, a rope 40 has its ends secured as at ill to' the lowermost guard bar, and one stretch of the rope extends upwardly over a pulley l2 and it and the other stretch extend over a pulley 48. The pulleys 42 and 43 are mounted in a head casing or bar M, and the two stretches of the rope then depend through a friction lock 45 to a position convenient to be grasped for operating the bars. The hope may be pulled downwardly until the bars are collapsed as shown in Figure 1 by solid lines, and locked in that position by the lock 48. After the lock is unlocked, the rope may be paid out for permitting the bars to lower to the dotted position shown in Figure 1, or the position shown in Figure 5.

The guides G are formed of sheet metal olf such thickness that the flanges I 4 can be readily bent outwardly as in Figure 2a or inwardly as in Figure 2b by use of a suitable tool. This is an important feature of my invention as it permits the bars B to be made in standard lengths to fit standard window frame sizes but permits a little adjustment for variations from standard width in the frames. For instance, if the frames are a rfraction of an inch wider than standard the flanges I4 may be bent as in Figure 2a to fit the portions 2| of the headed elements 20 without binding during the raising and lowering operations. On the other hand if the window frame is a. fraction of an inch narrower than standard. the flanges may be bent inwardly as in Figure 2b. The bending of the iianges thus permits enough adjustment after installation to overcome any binding action within the limits of the usual variations of the window frames from standard dimensions. Also if a frame is slightly out of square or wider or narrower at the top than at the bottom, the degree of bending may be varied along the flanges so that the slots between the flanges are substantially parallel.

I have provided a, link arrangement which automatically spaces the bars equally across the window or door opening when the lowermost bar is permitted to drop to its lowermost position. The links cooperate with each other and so coact with the grooves 22 of successive guard bars that all parts are effectively guided without any binding action whatever within the guides G. The guard bars are automatically locked when lowered and can be easily and readily unlocked when itis desired to raise them. The movement of the bars to either an effective or ineffective position may therefore be accomplished in a minimum of time. Simplicity in operation, therefore, contributes to the desirability of having guard bars, of the kind I have devised, installed for protection.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts' of my device without departing .from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to coverI by my claims any modied forms of structure or use 0f mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope Without sacrificing any of the advantages thereo I claim as my invention:

1. In a guard for a window or door opening, a pair of vertically arranged channel shaped guides at the sides of the opening, guard bars having their ends guided thereby, means for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may` extend in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, said means comprising slotted links starting adjacent the top'of the opening and each bar having each of its ends in the slots of two consecutive links, and means adjacent the lower portion of said openings .for locking the lowermost guard bar against upward4 movement, said links being fully extendedv when said lowermost guard bar is thus locked.

2. In a guard structure for window or door openings, al pair of channel shaped guides at the sides of the opening, guard bars having their ends slidably guided thereby, means for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may be distributed in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, and key operated means for locking the lowermost guard bar against upward movement.

3. In a guard for window or door openings, a' pair of vertically slotted guides at the sides of the opening, guard bars having their ends received in the slots thereof and guided thereby, means for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may hang in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, said means comprising slotted links starting adjacent of its ends in the slots of two consecutive links,

said ends beinggrooved to receive the edges of the slots, and means for locking the lowermost guard bar against upward movement with said links fully extended.

4. In a guard structure for an opening, a pair of slotted guides at opposite sides of the opening, guard bars having slotted ends guided thereby and free to rotate therein, slotted links starting adjacent the top of the opening and each bar having each of its ends in the slots of two consecutive links whereby the bars hang in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening with the bars rotatable rela-'- tive to the links, ropes for raising said bars to a collapsed position adjacent the top of the opening with said links likewise collapsed within said guides, said ropes being secured to the lowermost bar and extending over pulleys at the top of the opening, and means for locking the-lowermost guard bar against upward movement with said links in extended position.

5. In a guard structure for an opening in a building, a pair of channel shaped guides adjacent the sides of the opening and having flanges directed toward each other with an open slot between said flanges, guard bars having grooved ends receiving said flanges and having heads within said guides, means for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may hang in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, said means comprising slotted links starting adjacent the top of the opening, each of said guard bar heads having a groove having heads within said guides, means-for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may hang in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, said means comprising slotted links starting adjacent the top of the opening, each of said guard bar heads havv ing a pair of peripheral grooves receiving -the therein for receiving consecutive links, and means `dening an openslot between them, guard bars having grooved ends receiving said iianges and lns marginal edges adjacent the slots of the, links, and means adjacent the lower end of said openingA for locking said guard bars with said links in extended position.

'1. In a guard for an opening in a building wall, a pair of channel shaped guides adjacent the sides of the opening and having anges directed toward each other, guard bars having grooved ends receiving said anges and having heads within said guides, a plurality of slotted links, said guard bar heads being received in' the slots of consecutive links for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may hang in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening with said bars being freely rotatable, and means adjacent the lower end of said opening for locking said guard bars with said links in extended position comprising locking links on the lowermost guard bar, said locking links having lock open ings therein, bolts slidably supported by said guides, and key actuated means for retracting and extending said bolts.

.8. In a guard for an opening in a building wall, a pair of channel shaped guides adjacent the sides ofthe opening and having flanges directed toward each other, guard bars having grooved ends receiving said flanges and having heads within said guides, a plurality of slotted links, said guard bar heads being received in the slots of consecutive links for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may-hang in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening with said bars being freely rotatable, and means adjacent the lower end of said opening for locking said guard bars with said links in extended position comprising locking links on thel lation from top to bottom of the opening, said links being slotted to facilitate movement of said bars to a collapsed position adjacent the top of the opening, flexible elements connected with the lowermost guard bar and operable to elevate the same and thereby move the bars to collapsedl position, lock elements fdr coacting with the lowermost guard bar to hold it in lowered position, and means to raise said' lowermost bar when the locks are released comprising a block vbelow the lock element and within the channel and a spring for elevating said block and the lowermost guard bar, said lock including a cam capable of being operated when the lock is released by insertion of a key therein and rotation of the key.

10. A guard structure for a window or door opening comprisingv a pair of channel shaped guides at the sides of the opening, guard' bars extending from channel to channel and having their ends located within the channels, links en-l cased in said channels for connecting said bars together whereby they may hang in spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, said links being slotted to facilitate movement of said bars to a collapsed position adjacent the top of the opening, iiexible elements connected with the lowermost guard bar and operable to elevate the same and thereby move the bars to collapsed position, and lock elements for coacting with the lowermost guard bar to hold it in lowered positio'n, said lock including a cam capable of being operated when released by insertion of a key into said lock and rotation of the key.

11. A guard-structure of the character disclosed comprising a pair of slotted guides at opposite sides of a substantially rectangular opening, guard bars extending from guide to guide and having their ends located in the slots thereof, links encased in said guides for connecting said bars together whereby they may hang in spaced relationfrom top to bottom of the opening, said links being slotted to facilitate movement of said bars to a collapsed position adjacent the top of the opening, flexible elements connected with the lowermost guard bar and operable to, elevate the same and thereby move the bars to collapsed position, and lock means for coacting with the lowermost guard bar to hold it in lowered position.

12. A guard structure of the character disclosed comprising a pair of slotted guides at the opposite sides of a substantially rectangular opening, guard bars extending from guide to guide and having their ends located in the slots thereof, links encased in said guides for connecting said lbars together whereby they may hang in spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, said links being slotted to facilitate movement of said bars to a collapsed position adjacent the top of the opening, and lock means for coacting with the lowermost guard bar to hold it in lowered position.

13. In a guard structure for an opening in a building wall, a pair of channel shaped guides adjacent the sides of the opening and having anges directed toward each other, guard bars having grooved ends receiving said flanges and having heads within said guides, said flanges being bendable inward and outward selectively to adjust the overall width of the assembly of bars and guides, a plurality of slotted links in said guides, said guard bar heads being received in ing said bars in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of said wall opening, and means 4for locking said guard bars in said equally spaced relation.

15. In a guard structure for an opening in a building, a pair of channel shaped guides adjacent the sides of the opening, guard bars having grooved ends received in said channels, means for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may hang in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, said means comprising a series of slotted links connected to the -head member of the building opening, the ends of said guard bars having grooves receiving consecutive links, and locking means adjacent the lower end of said opening for locking said guard bars with said links in extended lposition, comprising locking links on the lowermost guard bar, said locking links having lock openings therein, bolts movably supported lby said guides and pressed to extend into said lock openings, key actuated means for retracting said bolts, and lock bailles for said bolts, spring extended to baille positions and engageable by said locking links as the lbars are lowered to be thereby moved to non-baille positions.

16. A guard structure for an opening in a building comprising a pair of guides adjacent the sides of the opening, guard bars having ends received in said guides, means for connecting said guard bars together whereby they may hang in substantially equally spaced relation from top to bottom of the opening, and locking means for locking said guard bars in extended position, comprising locking links on the lowermost guard bar, said locking links having lock openings therein, bolts movably supported by said guides and pressed to extend into said lock openings, means for retracting said bolts, and lock baliles for said bolts, said lock baffles being spring extended to baiile positions and engageable by said locking links as the bars are lowered to be thereby moved to non-baule positions and permit said bolts to enter said lock openings.

WILLIAM B. ROOD. 

